A short one this week. Just because you are a manager and are "supposed" to know it all there is no shame in learning from your own team members. Remember as a manager you will be seen as successful if your entire team is achieving beyond expectations, so it really doesn't matter who's great idea it is, if it gets accepted and goals are achieved you will be viewed as being successful, even if the great idea didn't come from you personally.
Some examples, a Season campaign many moons ago was delivered that went completely OTT on trying to show where the brand was headed and delivered a very cool Terry Gilliam inspired Brazil look and feel. A short time later a new marketing coordinator came in and reminded myself and my Director about marketing 101 ie: How does that look and feel appeal to our key audience of 50,60+ females? The answer was it didn't, not at all. I have never forgotten that lesson and it feeds into every campaign I have done since.
Another one was adopting the wireframe process from the digital world for the Season brochure, I had been pushing for a Word based solution but it was my digital marketer who said to adopt the wireframe process used by web developers in full and actually lay the copy out exactly as per the book spread just minus the graphic affectations. And he was right, the process worked so much better.
And finally, we receive great feedback on last year's season brochure but an ex-staffer took me aside and pointed out some tiny signs whereby our designers probably needed more time to do the final finessing before sending to print.Again I took this on board and highlighted the need to care for the small details and tried to work the schedule to allow for more finishing up time at the end of the design process. The end result, is that the care taken this year can be seen and felt in the 2013 execution.
So in short learn from your staff, at the end of the day a successful manager looks great when the best ideas get up regardless of who's they are.
And your 2013 brochure is gorgeous too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the sage words Ricky. I'd also add that it's important to recognise the person who had the idea - nothing worse than a manager who takes all the credit for someone else's idea.....
Edie
Thx Edie I have and Do! But for the record Tina called SH and I out on doing a geeky blokey subs season. Nawal 'Deshi' Rahim was the source of 'wireframe for print' and 'take care with details' feedback. There named and shamed!!
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